Brex

## Does the Brex corporate card require personal liability, and what credit limits and rewards does it offer for startups?

## Overview The Brex corporate card is structured specifically to operate without requiring personal liability from a company's founders or owners. This is achieved through a policy of not requiring a personal guarantee, which means an individual's personal assets are legally shielded from the company's card debt. The liability for the balance rests solely with the business entity itself. This model is a significant departure from many traditional small business credit cards, which often require a principal of the company to personally guarantee the debt, thereby blending personal and business financial risk. Brex's approach is designed to appeal to founders of incorporated businesses (such as C-Corps, S-Corps, and LLCs) who wish to maintain a clear separation between their personal finances and company obligations. The underwriting process does not involve a hard pull on an individual's personal credit report. ## Key Features The rewards program for the Brex card is tailored to the typical spending patterns of startups and technology companies. Under the 'Brex Exclusive' rewards tier, which requires a company to use Brex as its sole corporate card, users can earn accelerated points in several key categories. This includes a 7x points multiplier on rideshares and taxis, 4x points on flights and hotels booked through the Brex travel portal, 3x points on restaurant spending, 3x points on Apple products purchased via the Brex dashboard, and 2x points on recurring software subscriptions. All other spending earns a base rate of 1x point per dollar. These points can be redeemed for statement credits or travel at a value of 1 cent per point, or transferred to a variety of airline loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio. ## Technical Specifications In addition to the card itself, Brex provides a suite of integrated expense management features at no extra cost with its 'Essentials' plan. This software allows for the issuance of unlimited virtual and physical cards, each with granular spend controls that can be customized by user, department, or vendor. The system also includes automated, IRS-compliant receipt capture and AI-driven expense categorization to reduce manual accounting work. Brex integrates with major accounting platforms such as QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Expensify to streamline the reconciliation process. ## How It Works Credit limits on the Brex card are not determined by personal credit scores but are instead dynamically calculated based on the business's financial health. Brex's underwriting system connects to the company's bank accounts to monitor its cash balance, revenue patterns, and spending habits in real-time. This data-driven approach allows Brex to set credit limits that are directly reflective of the company's ability to pay. As a result, credit limits are often significantly higher than those offered by traditional banks, frequently cited as being 10 to 20 times greater. For businesses that also use a Brex business account to hold their primary cash reserves, the limits can be even higher, potentially up to 40 times that of other providers. However, because these limits are dynamic, they can be adjusted downwards if the company's cash balance or revenue decreases, ensuring the credit extended remains aligned with the company's current financial standing. ## Limitations and Requirements Eligibility for the card is generally limited to incorporated businesses, excluding sole proprietorships. Startups typically need to demonstrate a minimum bank balance of $50,000, especially if they are venture-backed. It is also important to note that Brex operates as a charge card, meaning the full balance must be paid off automatically every 30 days; it does not permit carrying revolving debt. The pending acquisition of Brex by Capital One, expected to close in mid-2026, may lead to future changes in these underwriting and rewards structures. ## Summary In conclusion, the Brex corporate card offers a compelling package for startups by eliminating personal liability, providing high and dynamic credit limits based on business financials, and offering a rewards program focused on common startup expenses. This is combined with a built-in expense management platform to create a comprehensive financial operating system for businesses. The key requirements include being an incorporated entity with sufficient cash reserves and adhering to the 30-day charge card payment schedule.